By George Jenkins
West Leeds residents are being urged become a volunteer for the world’s leading women’s cycling race.
The Grand Départ of the Tour De France Femmes avec Zwift is set to start on 30 July 2027 on the Headrow in Leeds.
Competitors will cycle through will cut through parts of West Leeds to Manchester, and on 31 July, they will head from Manchester to Sheffield, before finishing in London on 1 August.
A total of 9,000 volunteers are needed for all three stages of the women’s race as well as the Grand Départ of the men’s Tour de France, which is also taking place in the UK next year.
Volunteers, which will officially be known as JOY Makers, will receive full training in a range of roles, including event operations support and spectator engagement.
Registration is now open until 1 September, with anyone over 16 able to sign up. Volunteers aged 18 to 25 will be eligible for the programme’s Readiness to Work scheme, which will provide a package of employability skills and career-focused mentoring across multiple sectors.
Councillor James Lewis, leader of Leeds City Council, said: “Today’s call for volunteers is a reminder that the visit to Leeds by the Grand Départ of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift won’t just be a celebration of sporting excellence; it will be an occasion for the whole city to enjoy.
“It will be great to see people of all ages and from all communities doing their bit to support the event, while also creating special memories for themselves.”
After racing from the start line on the Headrow, riders will undertake a partial loop of the city centre before travelling out to Headingley. After passing Headingley Stadium, they will head down to Kirkstall and then towards Bramley.
From there, they will go south via Gamble Hill and Farnley before heading west to Drighlington and, ultimately, crossing into Kirklees and over the Pennines to Manchester.
British Cycling’s Tracy Power, who is leading the JOY programme, said: “The JOY Makers programme will create a core of engaged volunteers across Britain, who are willing to show up and get stuck in, dedicating their time to bringing local events and activities to life. This will not only benefit the cycling community but also help our local communities to thrive and bolster employability.
“Whether you have volunteered before, are a regular on a bike, or are completely new to volunteering and the world of cycling, everyone is welcome as a JOY Maker.”
To receive Leeds-specific updates on how the day will work, join the dedicated mailing list via the Visit Leeds website.